Keolis hits the jackpot in Las Vegas

Keolis Transit America (KTA), Keolis Group’s US subsidiary, has won the contract for the most iconic route in the Las Vegas urban transport network.

Strategic win in gambling mecca

Keolis Group’s growth strategy in the US is paying off: Keolis Transit America (KTA) was awarded the lion’s share of the urban transport network serving greater Las Vegas. The unanimous vote by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada capped a bidding process that divided the network into two lots and prohibited awarding both to any single operator.

Royal flush

Keolis won the larger contract based on the quality of its offer and the calibre of the personnel set to run the operation. The SNCF subsidiary will operate 55% of the network’s vehicles and carry some 30 million passengers annually on the most iconic routes in Las Vegas, serving the city’s famous hotels and casino corridor better known as the Strip. The bus network, which covers the south side of Las Vegas, is among the most prominent and highly structured urban transport contracts in the country. The five-year contract, with options for up to five additional years, will generate total revenue of US $500 million, or around €382.6 million. In addition to operating the network’s 207 buses, Keolis will handle maintenance, staffing and customer service effective 7 July.

Gaining ground in the North American market

The Las Vegas contract represents a major advance for the Group in the US market, where Keolis has ambitious plans in both urban transport and commuter rail. “This contract reflects KTA’s successful integration into Keolis Group,” said Bernard Tabary, Chief Executive Officer International. “It’s a critical step in the Group’s expansion in the United States, and it will serve as a reference when we bid on future business in urban transit, transport for people with limited mobility, shuttles, and on-demand transport.”

Keolis has been present in Canada since 1999 and entered the US rail market in 2010. Chosen to operate the Virginia Railway Express network serving the southern and western suburbs of Washington, DC, the Group then moved into the urban transport sector in 2011, when it acquired Tectrans, a California-based public transport operator that became Keolis Transit America in 2012.

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